Coimbatore district administration has capped the number of devotees and vehicles allowed at two temples in the Western Ghats during Purattasi Saturdays, citing forest conservation, public safety and the need to protect wildlife and biodiversity.
District collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar announced that a maximum of 1,000 devotees will be allowed at Perumal Mudi temple near Thadagam, while entry to Mel Mudi temple will be limited to 500 devotees. The temples are located inside forest areas and are opened to the public only on Purattasi Saturdays.
Pilgrims visiting Perumal Mudi must use the Mangarai check post. Those travelling to Mel Mudi will be allowed to enter only through the check post at the Palamalai foothills. Travel to the temples through Thadagam has been prohibited under the new restrictions.
Entry to both temples will be allowed only between 7am and 10am. Devotees completing darshan must return to their respective check posts by 4pm. The administration has also capped vehicle entry at 250 vehicles for Perumal Mudi and 150 vehicles for Mel Mudi. The limits cover both two-wheelers and four-wheelers.
Officials said the restrictions were required because the growing number of pilgrims during the Tamil month of Purattasi has made it more difficult to prevent littering, reduce fire risks, regulate visitor movement and protect the forest ecosystem. A security fee of ₹15 per person will be collected for cleaning and restoration work in the forest area.
Pilgrims will be permitted to begin the trek only after undergoing health screening by the health department. Single-use plastic items and easily inflammable materials have been completely banned at the sites.
Perumalmudi is also listed as one of the commercial trekking routes in the district under the Trek Tamil Nadu initiative. Paid trekking can be undertaken on other days, while public access to the two temples remains tied to the designated Purattasi Saturdays and the restrictions announced by the district administration.
